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Length of tuning pegs? What's normal?   You are logged in as Guest
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britguy

Posts: 712
Joined: Dec. 26 2010
From: Ontario, Canada

Length of tuning pegs? What's normal? 
I have an old nondescirpt peg-head flamenco blanca guitar about fifty years old with tuning pegs about 1 3/4 inches long (tapered portion) The thing has always been a real bastard to tune accurately. I notice that some tuning pegs on modern guitars appear to be much longer than 1 3/4 inches. Any reason?

Does the length of the tuning peg have any effect on ease of tuning, or overall sound. Or do pegs just come in cetain standard lengths and that's the luthier's choice when he/she builds the guitar?

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Fruit farmer, Ontario, Canada
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date May 25 2011 22:51:36
 
Sean

Posts: 672
Joined: Jan. 20 2011
From: Canada

RE: Length of tuning pegs? What's no... (in reply to britguy) 
They seem very short, the most likely answer for this probably relates to this guitars age and perhaps someone did a little refitting with the old pegs necessitating trimming of their length. If the old pegs are re shaved a little they would sit deeper in the holes projecting more length through the string side which was then cut back down and new string holes drilled. The unknown maker could also have used shorter pegs so the guitar would fit better in a particular case but I'd go with my first guess. The diameter of the pegs is more important from a ease of tuning standpoint, smaller= finer tuning. Your pegs especially if they're ebony are likely no longer round but a little oval which is why you are fighting with them so much.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date May 26 2011 16:00:44
 
keith

Posts: 1108
Joined: Sep. 29 2009
From: Back in Boston

RE: Length of tuning pegs? What's no... (in reply to britguy) 
viola pegs are used for flamenco guitars which come in a fairly standard length. it could be the pegs were chopped (shorten) as the peg/hole fit became worse over the years--the hole that accepts the string would begin to elevate quite high above the head as the peg became more worn--or it could be someone 50 years was learning the craft and did not have his luthier chops down.

now as for the repair. unless you can find a luthier who has experience with pegs i would recommend taking the guitar to a violin maker. a violin maker/repair person has experience with pegs. you may have to the holes plugged with maple and then redrilled if the holes are large. i had my old 66 ramirez refitted with new pegs done by a violin repair person. the cost of the pegs and labor was $125 back in 2006. this did not include having maple inserted into the holes.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date May 27 2011 11:54:28

C. Vega

 

Posts: 379
Joined: Jan. 16 2004
 

RE: Length of tuning pegs? What's no... (in reply to britguy) 
You should make sure that the pegs aren't so long that they're resting on the back of the case. This could mean that the neck is not being supported by the neck cradle part of the case and could possibly lead to the head snapping off should it take good hit .
The length of the pegs has no effect on sound or ease of tuning but smaller diameter pegs are generally easier to tune accurately.
Many older guitars, including some pretty good ones, are fitted with pegs that have a rather steep taper and don't hold well no matter what you do to them or have pegs that are just not fitted properly. The taper of the peg shaft and the taper of the hole must match. The "standard" violin/viola taper of 1:30 works well. As has been stated, a good violin shop can bush the holes and fit new pegs. Most guitar shops don't have a clue about what to do with pegs.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date May 28 2011 16:19:02
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